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360 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 14, 2021
Rex McMurtry (H) is a pro-football player for the Chicago Squalls (I take it this is not a real American NFL team?) who’s been dubbed as Training Wheels (TW) for the reason that every single woman he’s dated always ends up marrying one of his buds. Meanwhile, Abigail McNerny (h) is a bartender who’s sworn off dating, but she used to have a crush on Rex. Now that he’s barged in on her life with an offer she can’t refuse and they get to know each other more, the feelings are threatening to resurface.
Most folks thought he was taciturn and aloof, but when it mattered, and if you were paying close attention, he could be such a gentle giant.
I’d taken to saying Thank you, it has pockets as a means of dealing with the discomfort caused by unexpected compliments.
I was shooketh because I'd just come face-to-forehead with my elementary, middle, and high school crush.
“I want to hire you to marry me.”
“[...] If I just magically knew what you were thinking, I’d open up a sideshow act as the omniscient woman!” Yeah, I was yelling, but—dammit—I was angry. And frustrated.
A fierce storm gathered behind his eyes. “Then let me spell it out for you, babe.”
“Please do, husband.”
“I want you.”
I stared at him and waited. When he didn’t continue his thought or add an explanation, just glared at me with defiance, I said, “You want me to what?”
“No, Abby,” he seethed. “I want you.”
“Husband. You are not training wheels, and I am not a placeholder. Okay?”
He nodded solemnly and gathered my cheeks in his palms, his eyes turning hot, purposeful. “You are my place, Abby,” he said firmly. “Never doubt that I will always be yours.”
Last attempt at tempting you into reading this book:
🌚 Broody, stern, reticent H the likes of Jack Hawthorne (Marriage for One);
🌞 “Damaged or jaded” but spunky, sunshine-y h the likes of MZ’s heroines;
🏈 Sports romance (with TWOWAM & Kulti vibes);
🤵👰 Marriage of convenience (similar to TWOWAM but with different motives);
😚 Old crush to sorta friends to lovers (similar to Kulti but without the age gap);
🤠 H falls first (in my opinion) regardless of h’s crush;
🔥 ;
🎅 Holiday aesthetic (Halloween, Holiday Homecraft Markets, Christmas).
Rex (aka Training wheels) is tired of having every girl he dates ending up marrying one of his teammates. That’s when Abigail who he used to go to school with (and who also always had a crush on him) entered his life and we found ourselves in a marriage of convenience situation that we can’t help but enjoy.
"Falling for you was like gravity."
"Husband. You are not training wheels, and I am not a placeholder. Okay?"
"You are my place, Abby, he said firmly, then slid his nose along mine, adding quietly, "Never doubt that I will always be yours."
"This is a fantasy of mine, Abby," he said, his lips a hair's breadth from my lips, his voice a rumble. "You're my fantasy."
"Defiling one of Santa’s elves will put you on the naughty list, husband.” Lifting my skirt like he was unwrapping a present, he licked his lips. “Oh, I’m counting on it, Babe.”
“Been together since high school?”
“Preschool,” Rex said before I could speak. “She was a fast runner.” He gazed down at me with dazzling pretend adoration. “But I finally caught her.”